Swedes given life imprisonment in Philippines

A court official says two Swedish men have been jailed for life for running what is called an “Internet brothel” in which naked women performed acts for clients watching online.

The court in the southern Philippines found the two guilty of human trafficking on Tuesday and sentenced both to life terms, court clerk Nelison Salcedo told the AFP news agency. Three Filipinos were sentenced to 20 years each.

"Disrespect for Filipino women and violations of our laws deserve the strongest condemnations from this court," Salcedo quoted regional trial court judge Jeoffre Acebido as saying in his ruling. "It will not shirk from its duty to impose the most severe of penalties against anybody, be he a foreign national or a citizen of this country, who tramples upon the dignity of a woman by taking advantage of her vulnerability."

Salcedo said the Swedes were arrested when police raided a commercial building in the town of Kauswagan in April, 2009, and found 17 naked Filipinas before computer screens.

Cybersex dens have become a growing problem in the impoverished Philippines, according to law enforcement officials and social workers.